Minimizing virtual machine provisioning cost based on received software licensing and user fee information

Abstract

An arrangement configured to allocate one or more resources of one or more computing devices to a virtual machine, the arrangement comprising: an interface configured to receive a request for the allocation of one or more resources to the virtual machine, the request including information regarding one or more computer programs to be operated by or as a part of the virtual machine; and a hypervisor module configured to use the information regarding one or more computer programs to identify economic information associated with at least one of the computer programs, and to allocate one or more resources to the virtual machine based at least in part on the economic information.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A host system for allocating one or more resources of one or more computing devices to a virtual machine, the host system comprising:
 an interface configured to receive a request for the allocation of the one or more resources to the virtual machine, the request including a unique identifier for each of the one or more computer programs to be operated by or as a part of the virtual machine and economic information including: a license cost for each of the one or more computer programs that is based on the one or more resources allocated to the virtual machine, and a fee based on a number of users of the virtual machine; and 
 a processor configured to:
 use the unique identifier for each of the one or more computer programs to identify one or more available resources of the one or more computing devices for allocation to the virtual machine; and 
 allocate the identified one or more available resources to the virtual machine based at least in part on the economic information to minimize a total cost of operating the virtual machine. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The host system of  claim 1 , wherein the economic information further includes a tax. 
     
     
       3. The host system of  claim 1 , wherein the license cost for each of the one or more computer programs is based on a number of processing units allocated to each computer program. 
     
     
       4. The host system of  claim 1 , wherein the fee is further based on an energy efficiency factor associated with each of the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
       5. The host system of  claim 1 , wherein the total cost of operating the virtual machine includes an energy or power cost. 
     
     
       6. The host system of  claim 1 , wherein the allocation of the identified one or more available resources factors in a cost based on a time of allocation and a location of the identified one or more available resources. 
     
     
       7. A method of allocating one or more resources of one or more computing devices to a virtual machine, the method comprising:
 receiving, at an interface, a request for the allocation of the one or more resources to the virtual machine, the request including a unique identifier for each of the one or more computer programs to be operated by or as a part of the virtual machine and economic information including: a license cost for each of the one or more computer programs that is based on the one or more resources allocated to the virtual machine, and a fee based on a number of users of the virtual machine; 
 using, at a hypervisor module, the unique identifier for each of the one or more computer programs to identify one or more available resources of the one or more computing devices for allocation to the virtual machine; and 
 allocating, by the hypervisor module, the identified one or more available resources to the virtual machine based at least in part on the economic information to minimize a total cost of operating the virtual machine. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the economic information further includes a tax. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the license cost for each of the one or more computer programs is based on a number of processing units allocated to each computer program. 
     
     
       10. A The method of  claim 7 , wherein the fee is further based on an energy efficiency factor associated with each of the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the total cost of operating the virtual machine includes an energy or power cost. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the allocating of the identified one or more available resources factors in a cost based on a time of allocation and a location of the identified one or more available resources. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, when executed by a processor, performs a process of allocating one or more resources of one or more computing devices to a virtual machine, the process comprising:
 receiving, at an interface, a request for the allocation of the one or more resources to the virtual machine, the request including a unique identifier for each of the one or more computer programs to be operated by or as a part of the virtual machine and economic information including: a license cost for each of the one or more computer programs that is based on the one or more resources allocated to the virtual machine, and a fee based on a number of users of the virtual machine; 
 using, at a hypervisor module, the unique identifier for each of the one or more computer programs to identify one or more available resources of the one or more computing devices for allocation to the virtual machine; and 
 allocating, by the hypervisor module, the identified one or more available resources to the virtual machine based at least in part on the economic information to minimize a total cost of operating the virtual machine. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the economic information further includes a tax. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the license cost for each of the one or more computer programs is based on a number of processing units allocated to each computer program. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the fee is further based on an energy efficiency factor associated with each of the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the total cost of operating the virtual machine includes an energy or power cost. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the allocating of the identified one or more available resources factors in a cost based on a time of allocation and a location of the identified one or more available resources.